Sindhoor offers a gastronomic escape from the monotony of one's kitchen.

What makes a good restaurant? Good food, prompt service and, of course, accessibility. No wonder then that Sindhoor restaurant, situated near the Cotton Hill Girls High School, could complete four successful years in a city that is conservative, with little or no night life. Sindhoor, with a recent extension (Parag), offers a wonderful gastronomic escape from the monotony of one's kitchen. Says N. K. Sugathan, restaurant manager, "Evenings got so crowded that many of the customers were forced to wait outside. This was when we seriously thought of an extension." Though the restaurant cannot boast of excellence in architecture, the ambience is just right for a quiet evening out. Paintings of Kovalam and Vizhinjam beach adorn the walls. One half of the restaurant is designed like a cave. Parag, on the first floor, is where the parties are organised.

Thai food is a speciality of Sindhoor. "Some of our customers come here for the Thai dishes. These are very popular," says Sugathan. And there is an impressive menu with hundreds of Chinese, Keralite, north Indian, Mughlai and continental dishes. For starters, there are cutlets, sandwiches, cauliflower fritters (Rs. 40), sweet corn fritters (Rs. 40) and butterfly shrimps (Rs. 110). Even tikkas and kababs make for excellent starters. Among the soups, tofu and lettuce soup (Rs. 35) are recommended. Tofu is widely used in Thai cuisine. Salads have never been an essential part of our diet. Though highly recommended by doctors and dieticians, we often forget to include them in our diet. But many restaurants now have salad bars exclusively for health freaks. Sindhoor is one among them. Its egg & mayonnaise salad (Rs. 35) is yum. Equally good are the minted cucumber and celery salad (Rs. 30), Thai cucumber salad (Rs. 30), rainbow coleslaw (Rs. 40) and Thai beef salad (Rs. 50). If all these names sound `fattening', there is slimmers salad (Rs. 50) for you. With plain vegetables and just a touch of salad oil, this can be a good appetiser.